Employment Newsletter NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR SIGNS NEW LAW AGREEMENTS IN THE WORKPLACE

Employment Newsletter
E-mail Alerts
NEW HAMPSHIRE GOVERNOR SIGNS NEW LAW
AFFECTING NON-COMPETE AND NON-PIRACY
AGREEMENTS IN THE WORKPLACE
By:
Peg O’Brien, Esq.
Email: [email protected]
Phone:603.695.8631
May 25, 2012
On May 15, 2012, Governor Lynch signed into law HB 1270, which requires
all New Hampshire employers to provide prospective employees “prior to or
concurrent” with making an offer of employment a copy of any “non-compete
or non-piracy agreement” that the employer will require the employee to
execute upon hiring. The legislation requires employers to provide the same
“advance notice” to current employees who are required to execute a noncompete or non-piracy agreement upon a change in job classifications. The
new law, enacted at New Hampshire R.S.A. 275:70, will become effective on
July 14, 2012.
The text of the new statute is only two sentences: “Notice of Non-Compete
and Non-Piracy Agreements Required. Prior to or concurrent with making an
offer of change in job classification or an offer of employment, every employer
shall provide a copy of any non-compete or non-piracy agreement that is
part of the employment agreement to the employee or potential employee.
Any contract that is not in compliance with this section shall be void and
unenforceable.” The statute does not define the terms “non-compete” or
“non-piracy.” As typically used by employers, a “non-compete” agreement
prohibits an employee from working in or setting up a competing business
for a certain period following termination of employment. A “non-piracy
provision,” also known as a “non-solicitation provision,” in an employment
agreement, restricts the employee from soliciting the employer’s customers or
employees, or making use of the employer’s confidential information following
termination of employment. Both covenants are utilized to safeguard an
employer’s protectable business interests.
While the statute is clear on two discrete points in time in an employment
relationship – hiring and job change – it fails to address any other point in
time. For example, what if the nature of a business evolves post-hiring of a
key employee and the company decides that a non-compete is necessary to
protect its propriety information? The statute does not address non-competes
mid-stream in an employment relationship, outside of the limited context of
a change in position. From the statute’s omission, it is possible that a court
© Copyright 2012 Devine Millimet & Branch, Professional Association
Labor, Employment
& Employee Benefits
Mark Broth, Chair
603.695.8558
[email protected]
Newton Kershaw
603.695.8571
[email protected]
Patricia McGrath
603.695.8537
[email protected]
Margaret O’Brien
603.695.8631
[email protected]
Anne Scheer
603.410.1708
[email protected]
Laurel Van Buskirk
603.695.8565
[email protected]
DEVINEMILLIMET.COM
[email protected]
may rule such mid-stream non-compete agreement between an employer
and employee “void and unenforceable.” However, such a finding is hard to
square with the doctrine of at-will employment and the right of a business to
contract freely with its employee. There are no other known statutes in other
states similar to this and there are no other statutes in New Hampshire which
discuss non-compete and non-piracy agreements.
Office Locations:
For now, this new statute is clear that at the time an employer either offers
a job or offers a change in job classification, an employer is free to request
an employee to sign an otherwise enforceable non-compete or a non-piracy
agreement. However, in light of the limited text to this statute, employers
are cautioned to consult with counsel prior to requesting a mid-stream noncompete or non-piracy agreement with an employee unless it is connected
with a specific change in position.
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should rely on it as such.”
© Copyright 2012 Devine Millimet & Branch, Professional Association
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